Stuff Pakistanis like

I thought I’d do what I thought might be a “witty” take on Stuff White People Like and adapt it to what Pakistani Americans like. With the many caveats that are necessary – these are stereotypes, they are not universally applicable, they have a class bias (I don’t fit them either – well, okay, not ALL of them). They’re listed in a very Pakistani, very organic fashion – as in, in illogical sequence. Feel free to add more!

1. Cars – Hondas. Pakistanis have a deep loyalty to Japanese cars, and among those, to the Honda. We believe (it’s somewhere in the Pakistani creed) that Hondas never die, and that all other cars are mere cheap imitations of Japanese models.

4. Careers – Medicine. Nothing else. All other careers are second to medicine. Service-oriented careers such as teaching are “admired” in other people’s kids. The humanities and arts are not careers: they are hobbies. For White people.

5. Homes – sprawling brand new detached house with attached bathrooms, in the suburbs. (Who would want to live in an apartment in the city? Pakistanis do not need street cred.) Townhouses and duplexes are technically not homes.

6. Number of children – 3-6 (and up).

7. Beverage – milky tea that’s been cooking for a half hour.

8. Dessert – the more ghee, sugar, cream and whole milk the better.

9. University of choice – Harvard. (Actually, the only currently existent university).

10. Hair dye color – dark brown streaked with dirty blond.

11. Make-up – more is more.

12. Jewelry – a) Diamonds b) gold. (Once these two ‘basics’ have been established, others such as emeralds, rubies, etc. may be added. Silver does not count).
13. Food – Meat. A lot. Vegetarian dishes are for poor folks.

Oh man I thought when you said Pakistani Americans you meant like you know Pakistani (born/1st gen/ABCD) Americans. This is a list about Pakistani fobs in America. Sorry is fob a bad word. My husband’s a fob. I love fobs!🙂

p.s. Are you kidding, any other car other than a Honda (or Toyota) *is* a cheap imitation. (Guess some things get passed down to us ABCD’s too.)

Tehehehehehe. NO.3 I think applies to all south asians. And add a sweater on that outfit.😀
I do the chai thing too, hehehehe and am not south asian. I thought the hair colour was this maroonish/reddish/brownish, pple in my community back home are also doing it, they copy the *trends* from all the soaps they watch.🙂

39. Nuclear power – We kinda like that Pakistan has nuclear power. It’s like the homeless guy with a Rottweiler. You won’t mess with this homeless guy. Though to be honest, the fat cat with the Rottie is just as dangerous as the other guy. Go figure.

#42. Someone in the family knows how to do henna/sew/cut/style/ hair and threading/waxing(so it just gets done by a family member)
LOL! I had this dirty brownish with copperish/goldish highlits *cough* I have been there too!😉

OMG!! Its true not only to Pakistanis but to South Asians in many instances. Replace the Honda with Marutis and Nepalese and Bangladeshis would agree to much of the above!!
And most loved bodily decoration?? Henna!!! not Tatoos I guess. hehe

Pakistanis whether ABCDs and FOBs are basically insecure people, pretty much about everything education, money, national identity etc. Further, they are obsessed with the West; therefore try to acquire their traits to ingrain respect. One would expect that ABCDs being born and raised here would be unafraid and blunt, but you find the only change they show different from their parents is just the accent. They are clad in the same anxiety that their parents wear. No matter how much they shun inherent Pakistaniat, they are indoctrinate about the hard learned conclusions of their parents about life, apparent defying of Western social influence, religion and family values. The dilemma of ABCD parents is little different, they try to blend a mix picture of Americana and Pakistanism, doing a poor job on it and self-wrestling with both concepts. As they turn old they tend to blame themselves for coming to America/Canada, go through a catharsis of purging the movement that lead them to land here, what they lost, thinking about their own parents and whoever else they left behind who did not not enjoy the amenity of a good life. In fact both are but a “khitchri.” Sad but true. Ain’t nothing either can do anything about it. I guess we just have to live with what we’ve got.